Brian Pratt - Warrior priest of Dmon-Li

Miko doesn’t acknowledge his support, instead, he strides forth and begins attacking. With incredible speed, he launches into a series of attacks that Abula-Mazki successfully blocks. But instead of pausing, he keeps on attacking and actually succeeds in making him back up two steps before ending the series of blows.

Enraged at the temerity of this boy, Abula-Mazki lashes out with his magic again and watches as the bolts of energy are deflected by the red tinged barrier. Using an attack combining both magic and sword he goes on the offensive. The magic is countered while Miko’s sword blocks the attacks.

At this time, Fifer and the others have come and joined James’ group. “Incredible,” he says to James as he stands next to him.

“Glad I’m not in there,” admits Yern.

A jubilant cry from Abula-Mazki and they watch as Miko’s sword goes sailing through the air and lands point first into the dirt ten feet away.

“Miko!” cries James.

Then suddenly, the sword is no longer in the ground, but once again in Miko’s hand as he goes on the offensive again. A series of blows has Abula-Mazki giving ground and in disbelief, everyone watches as Miko’s sword rips through his armored leggings and slices the thigh beneath.

Miko has drawn first blood!

Abula-Mazki takes a few steps back to gather himself, a strange expression now upon his face. He glances down at the blood beginning to drip from the cut on his thigh. It’s not deep and will hardly even slow him down. But to score on a warrior priest, inconceivable! Never has such happened to Abula-Mazki.

He looks at his opponent and sees the glazed look in his eyes, eyes that look as if they see nothing, yet do. His senses tell him that there’s nothing magical about this boy, but yet he has managed to counter everything he’s thrown at him. For the first time in Abula-Mazki’s very long life, he begins to believe he may have met his match.

During the brief pause in the fighting, James takes a look around at the riders who’ve surrounded them. Relieved to find them still in their original position, he turns his attention to the clan chiefs. The expressions on their faces show the fight is not going as they had anticipated. They had thought it would be quick and decisive, now they have doubts as to whether Abula-Mazki will even win. He sees them huddled together talking while at the same time keeping their attention fixed on the fighting.

“I think they’re planning something,” James says to the others.

“Would they go against the agreement made?” asks Hinney.

“Wouldn’t put it past them,” he says. “From the little I’ve been around them, I haven’t known them to be all that honorable.”

“What should we do?” asks Uther.

“If Miko falls, I’ll go with them and hope Abula-Mazki will hold to his word,” he explains. “Should Miko prevail, we better be prepared to fight.”

“I believe you are correct,” agrees Illan.

The clash of swords brings their attention back to the fighting. Abula-Mazki has launched another series of blows which Miko is blocking successfully. A line opens up on Miko’s forearm where Abula-Mazki’s sword scored. Not very deep, but they can see a small amount of blood beginning to run down his arm. Miko doesn’t even act as if he knows he has been struck.

That small victory gives Abula-Mazki an impetus to win the fight. Launching into a series of blinding attacks, he actually manages to push Miko back several steps.

But Miko doesn’t move back very far before he begins to go on the offensive once again. In disbelief, Abula-Mazki is beginning to almost not be able to block the blows raining down upon him. How can he move so fast? Blow after blow he successfully blocks, but each time he has been almost a fraction of a second too late.

Not stopping, the blows keep coming, and as unbelievable as it sounds, they’re increasing in speed. He gasps when he sees twin fires in Miko’s eyes, flames of unholy light. Light that is familiar somehow.

Then suddenly, he recognizes the truth. The Fire! It’s no longer hidden and is in the hands of this infidel. Once he realizes that, he understands that he cannot win this battle. But there is one more act he must perform for his god before the end comes.

He disengages from the battle and sees Miko’s sword slow down as he moves backward. Readying himself, he watches as Miko approaches, sword ready to resume the battle.

From the sidelines, James watches as Abula-Mazki takes a few quick steps backward and comes to a stop. The prickling suddenly begins to intensify and he knows the warrior priest is about to cast a spell of mammoth proportions. He readies the magic to counter whatever he may try to do.

Suddenly, a psychic cry of tremendous power rips through his head like a knife. The Fire walks with the Star!

Everyone around him suddenly cries out from the pain of it as they each grip their head in an attempt to ease the pain.

Through eyes blinded with tears of pain, James looks to the combatants and watches as Miko strikes out at Abula-Mazki who, caught up in the spell, fails to defend himself. His sword strikes him through the chest and the psychic cry is abruptly silenced.

Miko pulls out the sword and hacks his sword arm off before following through with a slice that severs his head from his neck.

When the psychic cry stops, so does the pain it caused. James looks up in time to see Abula-Mazki’s head strike the ground. He hears a cheer from Hinney and Keril as they begin running over to congratulate Miko. “Stop!” he orders commandingly.

They both stop and turn to look at him. “Don’t go near him yet,” he tells them. Moving past them, he brings himself near to where Miko is standing motionless. He walks around until he’s standing face to face with him.

“Miko?” he asks as he gazes into his eyes. He can see more changes the Fire had wrought. All signs of Miko’s childhood are gone. What stands before him is a man in his early twenties at least. “Miko?” he asks again, in a soothing voice. “It’s James.”

James can see the fires burning in his eyes, and for the first time, he’s worried his friend may not come out of it. “Miko, come back to me,” he says as he reaches his hand out.

Then his eyes take notice of him there and his sword moves to a guard position. James backs up a step and holds his hands up, showing he’s not armed. The fires burn as the eyes come to rest upon him.

Pointing to a sack lying in the pile that had been removed from Miko, James yells to Jiron, “Toss me the sack!”

Not sure at first what he is talking about, Jiron looks down and then understanding comes. Picking it up, he throws it to James who catches it.

“Would you like some tarts?” James asks as he pulls one from the sack, holding it up for Miko to see.

Miko’s expression changes subtly and the fires begin to diminish. “Tarts?” he says in a far away voice.

“Yeah,” James says, lowering his arm. “Here, have one.” He watches some sort of internal struggle taking place within Miko. Suddenly, the fires in his eyes go out and he knows that it’s his friend who’s now looking out at him.

“Oh, James,” he says and takes a step forward before collapsing to the ground.

He moves quickly to catch him before he hits the ground. Laying him down, he waves the others to come join him.

Upon reaching them, Illan says, “James, we got problems.”

Looking up at him from where he kneels next to Miko, James asks, “What?”

Pointing to the pass, he says, “Look.”

Turning his attention to the pass, James sees the clan chiefs have returned and mounted their horses. One of the riders with them brings a horn to his lips and two loud notes sound. Answering horns come from all sides as the riders who had waited patiently at a distance during the fight now begin moving toward them in a decidedly hostile manner. Hundreds of riders are quickly closing the gap, swords are being drawn and bows readied.